Clasp



T. KAISER March 28, 1944.

CLASP Filed Feb. 16, 1943 fnvenior THEOBALD KAISER ll/filth;

2y 71219 ai-Z-orneys Patented Mar. 28, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLASP Theobald Kaiser, East Orange, N. J'. Application February 16, 1943, Serial No. 476,101

13 Claims.

The invention relates to clasps, and more particular to a device adapted to grasp textile fabrics or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a device to eliminate the use of pins.

A further object is to provide a simple construction of clasp which can be made wholly of non-metal, such as wood or plastics.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent as the following detailed description proceeds, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear view closed position;

Figure 2 is a side view, looking in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a front view of the clasp in open position, and ready to be closed upon two thicknesses of textile fabric;

Figure 4 is a front view of the clasp showing it closed and in engagement with the fabric;

Figure 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4,1ooking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section on the line 6-5 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is a front view of a modified clasp.

In the preferred embodiment the clasp comprises a frame I I] having a fixed blade I 2 centrally disposed between a pair of laterally movable jaws I 4 each attached to the frame in any suitable manner as by a pivot l6.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the frame I I! is substantially of E-shape, having equal parallel outer legs 18 to pass over the fabric, and the slightly longer central leg orblade l2 to pass under the fabric. The blade 12 is preferably thinner than the legs l8 and is slightly offset forwardly from the plane of the legs for a purpose which will be explained later. To form a socket 2D for the laterally moving jaw H, the end of each leg I8 is divided from side to side into a pair of spaced rear and front branches 22 and 24.

In order to make each face of the clasp subof the novel clasp, in

stantially flush, the branche 22 and 24 are preferably thinner than the other portions of leg 18. Front branch 24, instead of being flush may be offset forwardly from the face of the frame and if desired may be made of a separate for-,

wardly projecting piece. secured to the frame by any suitable means such as dowel 26.

Rear branch 22 is formed by cutting away a portion of the leg, thereby providing a substantially flat horizontal top 28 of the socket 20. To

permit outward movement of jaw M, the outer corner of rear branch 22 is rounded or cut away as shown at 3|] in Fig. 1, while the-inner corner 32 is rectangular to limit the inward movement of jaw I4.

In order to form on the jaw acooperating abutment for said inner corner 32 of branch 22, a horizontal surface 34 is provided by cutting away a portion of jaw M. This cutting away also forms on the jaw a tenon36 of reduced thickness which is received in the socket 20 and is held by pivot IS in laterally movable relation to the leg l8. To permit movement of the jaw, theupper outer corner 38 thereof is cut away as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby allowing clearance with the top 28 of the socket 2D.

For the purpose of grasping and holding the fabric, a prong 40 is provided extending inwardly from each jaw I4 toward the central blade l2 in position to be overlapped by the blade in the closed position of the clasp. To provide for such overlapping the prongs, which are formed immediately below the tenon-36, are shown as tapering down from the abutment -34. If desired the prongs may be tapered to a sharp point to allow them to pierceas well as graspthe fabric. To enable the prongs to lie over the fabric and at the same time underblade l2 without too thicklybunching the fabric as it passes around the blade l2 and over prongs 40, the prongs are preferably thinner. than other portions of the jaws. For this purpose, the back of prongs 40 may conveniently be made flush with the rear surface of the jaw l4 and on the front be cut away below the front surface of the jaws, as shown particularly in Figs. 5 and 6, so.asto lie well-below the. blade I2 which, as pointed out above, is'both. offset forwardly and'thinned for the purpose ofleaving below. the bladeand above the prongs an ample space for the fabric. In the drawingeach jaw is curved in order, that the jaws may meet: at their lower or, free ends, but the shape may be" varied without "departing from the invention. The free ends of the jawsmay be latched with any suitable catch means In the form illustrated in the drawing a projection 42 is provided on the'free end ofv one jaw and a corresponding opening or mortise on the other, to releasably lock the clasp in closed position.

In using the clasp the jaws are unlocked and opened outwardly. The blade I2 is inserted behind one or more plies of fabric 46 while the jaws'remain'in front of the fabric, as shown in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 5 one face 48 of the fabric is adjacent the front of blade l2. The

, may then be closed in order to prevent accidental opening of the clasp, and also to form additional means to limit the inward movement of the jaws and prongs.

Figure 7 shows a modification in which outer legs 56, 58 are longer than the central blade 12.. 1

A single substantially straight jaw 64 is pivoted at 66 to one leg 56. Instead of having only one and toward said blade to open and close the clasp, said movable element including means adapted to lap with the blade when the clasp is closed, and cooperating latching means asso ciated with the free end of said movable element and the free end of the other side member.

7. In a clasp, a blunt blade member adapted to lie on one face of material to be clasped, in combination with a jaw member adapted to lie on the reverse face of said material and means joining said members including a hinge for lat eral movement of said members toward and from each other one of said members having means projecting toward the other and adapted to lap with the other at the inward limit of said movement.

fabric-grasping prong, the jaw'may if desired,

be provided witha plurality of such prongs, as shown at 16 in Fig. '7. The free end of the jaw may be latched to the'free end of the other leg 58 by any suitable means such as a projection 12 on one and a corresponding opening 14 in the other.

Other modifications will occur to those skilled in the art, and theinvention therefore embraces such embodiments thereof as fall within the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a clasp for fabrics or the like, a frame and thereon a fixed blade to underlie the fabric to be clasped, in' combination with .aprong to overlie said fabric and means hingedly joining said. prong tosaid frame in laterally spaced relation to said blade, for lateral movement away from and toward said'blade.

2. In a clasp, a frame and a fixed blade thereon, in combination with a prong and means hingedly joining said prong to said frame in spaced relation to said blade, for lateral movement away from and toward said blade and means adjacent said hinge to limit the inward movement of the prong toward said blade, whereby at the inward limit of the movement, the prong will underlie the blade.

3. In a clasp, a frame, a pair of members substantially at right angles thereto and spaced from each other, a blade projecting from said frame between and substantially parallel to said first named members, in combination with a laterally movable jaw on one of said members and a prong on said movable jaw extending toward the blade and lapping the blade when the jaw is closed.

4. In a clasp, a substantially E-shaped frame having the central leg and a pair of outerlegs, 7

alaterally movable jaw hinged to at least one outer leg, in combination with a prong on said jaw extending inwardlyfrom said jaw toward said central leg and adapted to underlie said central leg at the limit of the inward movement, and means to limit said, inward movement.

5. In a clasp, a substantially E-shaped frame having the central leg longer than the other legs, a laterally movable jaw hinged to each outer leg, in combination with a lateral prong on each jaw extending inwardly from said jaw toward said central leg and adapted to underlie said central leg when the clasp is closed.

6. In a clasp, a pair of side members, in combination with a blade therebetween, and a laterally movable element included in one of said side members for lateral movement away from 8. In a clasp, a substantially E-shaped frame, a central leg adapted to lie on one face of material to be clasped and outer legs adapted to lie on the other face of the material to be clasped in combination with a movable jaw hinged to an outer leg and a prong extending from said jaw toward said central leg and adapted to lap said central leg when the clasp is closed.

9. In a clasp for fabrics or the like, a frame and thereon a blunt blade to underlie the fabric to be clasped, in combination with a jaw mov'-' able to overlie said fabric said jaw being joined to said frame in laterally spaced relation to said blade and being laterally moveable away from and toward said blade. 7

10. In a clasp, a frame and a blunt blade thereon, in combination with means hinged to said frame in spaced relation to said blade, for lateral movement away from and toward said blade and means adjacent the hinge to limitthe inward movement of said first named means toward said blade.

11. In a clasp, a pair of side members to lie on one face of the fabric to be clasped, in combination with a blade therebetween to lie on the other face of said fabric, and a laterally movable element included in one of said side members for lateral movement away from and toward said blade to open and close the clasp, and cooperating latching means associated with the free .end of said movable element and the free end of the other side member.

12. In a clasp, a member having a blunt blade portion adapted to lie on one face of material to be clasped, in, combination with a jaw member adapted to lie on the reverse face of said material, a hinge connecting said jaw member to said. blade member, said blade portion being off-set to cause interfolding of the several plies of material between the jaw member and blade portion as said jaw member is moved laterally to clasp said material. 7

13. In a clasp, a member having a blunt blade.

portion adapted to lie on one face of material to be clasped, in combination with a jaw member adapted to lie on the reverse face of said mate; rial, a hinge connecting said jawmember to said blade member, said blade portion being off-set to cause interfolding of the several plies of mat erial between the jaw member and blade portion as said jaw member is moved laterally to clasp said material, and means on the end of the jaw member for latching said jaw to said blade mem-' ber.

THEOBALD KAISER. 

